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Ruth McDonald fell in love with the beautiful wetland on her farm property years before she was able to buy it and move there. At that time, she used to go there with her family to spend time together while fishing for trout in the ponds. When the property came up for sale, the decision to buy it came from the heart, out of an appreciation for the land and the life it supports. Now, over 15 years later, Ruth is living on the property full-time, and farming the cultivated portion to make a living. She nurtures a delicious variety of produce on the small farm.  A small, sweet variety of apricots are faithfully borne each year by the massive 83 year old apricot tree on her property – the oldest in the region.

The wetland area of Ruth’s property borders on Park Rill Creek, and she speaks of it as her “little oasis” – an apt name for this rich, cool wetland in the middle of desert country. The riparian area that she stewards is adjacent to that of another TLC Conservation Partner, David O’Reilly. Together, as members of the “Friends of Park Rill”, the two neighbours are stewarding a precious corridor of riparian habitat, rich in diversity of birds, amphibians, plants and other wildlife native to the area. Ruth speaks affectionately of the turtles, frogs, snakes, coyotes, herons, and other wildlife with which she shares the space. She is eager to learn to identify native plants and bird species as time goes by. Her vision for the farm is one in which the wetland and riparian area can be a refuge for wildlife and for human families together – somewhere where people can come to enjoy good food, appreciate nature, and spend time together the way she remembers doing with her own family in the same place.